Improvement in bell-pianos



W. H. WOOD.

BELL-PIANOS.

Patented. Sept.11,1877

WI INE Il-PET EES. FNOTO-LITHOGRAPHERLWASHINGTON. D c.

INVENTOR W4 %1&

ATTURNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. W001i, on PORT ROWAN, ONTARIO, CANADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BELL-PIANOS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 196,068, dated September 11, 1877 application filed June 11, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HUGH Woon, of Port Rowan, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Bell-Piano, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line at m in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 y in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a musical instrument in which bells are employed to produce the musical sounds.

it consists in the arrangement, in a casing similar to that of an ordinary piano, of a number of bells of either metal, glass, or pottery, properly tuned, and in an arrangement of hammers operated by means of keys, and in dampers and softeners operated by pedals or stops, as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, A A are bells of any suitable form and material, which are bolted or otherwise fastened to cross-pieces B, arranged in a movable frame, B, in the casing of the piano.

0 O, &c., are hammers, pivoted in mortised blocks D, which are fastened to the floor of the instrument. E are trips, pivoted to levers F, which are constructed and arranged similar to the keys of an ordinary piano, and are connected, by means of upright wires G, with the keys H, pivoted to the frame I.

-J J are dampers, which consist of the vertical wires a, which rest upon the levers F, and extend upward through the guides b, that are attached to the bars d, and are attached to a bar, d, to which the downwardly-projecting wire 0 is attached.

The wires e pass through the bars d, and are provided with padded feet f.

The bars d are attached to bars g, that are slotted, and guided by screws that pass through the slots into the sides of the instrument-case. These bars are moved by means of links i and sliding bars h, which are connected with a lever arranged to operate by pedals.

When the bars d are raised the dampers are prevented from coming into contact with the bells; but when they are lowered the dampers rest in contact with the bells, except when raised by the levers F.

K K are softeners, consisting of the pieces of leather j, which are attached to bars 70, that are moved by an arrangement of levers similar to those of an ordinary piano.

The bells in the present case are secured to the cross-pieces B, with their mouths upward.

I do not broadly claim the production of musical sounds from bells struck by hammers operated by a key-board; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A bell-piano consisting, essentially, of tuned bells, hammers, keys, and softeners, as shown and described.

2. A bell-piano provided with a frame that slides in and out, as set forth, so that bellframes having bells of difi'erentcomposition may be employed.

3. The combination, with levers F, of the wires a, guides 1), bars d (1, wire 6, having padded feet f, the slotted bars g, slide-bars h, and links i, as specified.

4. The combination of leather j and bars k, the latter operated by levers, as shown and described.

WILLIAM H. WOOD.

Witnesses:

H. S. EvANs, A. H. BAOKHOUSE. 

